Neck and shoulder strains and immobility can be caused by stiff shoulders. The muscles in your shoulder girdle share many nerves and fasciae with your neck that can influence how your neck moves. Shoulder stretching, which you can do before or after a workout, should always incorporate some neck movements in different directions. Always maintain a steady, deep breathing pattern while you stretch.

Shoulders and Neck Connection

Your neck and shoulders are part of a network of muscles and fasciae called the arm lines, which extends from the middle of your chest and back to your hands and fingers. These muscles include your deltoids, trapezius, levator scapulae, rotator cuffs and pectoralis major and minor. When any muscle groups along the arm lines get stiff, the range of motion in your neck decreases. You can compare the differences between neck lateral flexion, extension and rotation with your shoulders up like a shrug and your shoulders down and away from your ears.

Dynamic Stretching

Dynamic stretching involves moving your shoulders repetitively within their normal range of motion. It increases your tissue elasticity and neural stimulation to prepare your mind and body for the upcoming activity. A study performed at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill showed that subjects who performed dynamic stretching had improved vertical jump performance, while the other group who performed no stretching or static stretching -- holding a stretch to the point of mild tension for 15 to 30 seconds -- had no improvement in the test. This idea can be applied to the shoulders and neck when you warm up. Sample stretches include alternating lateral neck flexion, arm circles, arm swings, side-lying trunk rotation and quadruped trunk rotation.

Static Stretching

Static stretching is often recommended before you work out by most textbooks, coaches and exercise professionals. However, it can decrease your performance because static stretching decreases the amount of neural stimulation that flows into your muscles. A study performed at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse showed that baseball players who performed static stretching on their shoulders had no improvement in their pitching performance. Therefore, save static stretching for after you work out. Sample exercises include the neck extensor stretch, posterior capsule stretch and lateral neck flexion.

Pitfalls of Stretching

Even though stretching may seem easy to do, you can still get hurt if you're not mindful. Stretching sore shoulders and neck after a workout or training may delay the healing process. Because exercise causes micro-tears in your muscles, any lengthening of the tissues will cause your muscles to get tighter to prevent any more tearing. Researchers at the George Institute for Global Health in Sydney, Australia, reviewed 12 studies on stretching in relation to muscle soreness. They concluded that stretching before or after exercise has no effect on muscle soreness. Stretching too quickly and too fast can also cause your shoulders and neck to get tighter. This is known as the stretch reflex, an automatic and sometimes painful contraction of muscle fibers to prevent muscle joint damage.

About the Author

Nick Ng has been writing fitness articles since 2003, focusing on injury prevention and exercise strategies. He has covered health for "MiaBella" magazine. Ng received his Bachelor of Arts in communications from San Diego State University in 2001 and has been a certified fitness coach with the National Academy of Sports Medicine since 2002.